A very particular celestial object due to its characteristics can only be seen once when it passes by the Earth and, according to experts from the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), it is likely that it is the brightest comet of the 21st century.
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Dubbed the ‘comet of the century’, this celestial body comes from the Oort Cloud, a ‘cloud’ made up of billions of icy bodies orbiting the Sun, according to NASA. It also has an area much larger than the planetary region of the solar system.
“This comet will be special for two reasons. One: it is very likely that it will only enter the solar system once, since, unlike Comet Diablo or Halley, it is not periodic. Two: it may be very bright, but that factor will have a lot to do with what happens after its passage through the Sun.“, commented Dr. René A. Ortega Minakata, from the Institute of Radio Astronomy and Astrophysics of UNAM.
Known in the scientific world as comet A3 Tsuchinshan-ATLAS A3, the analysis indicates regarding the trajectory of the celestial body that completes one orbit around the Sun every 80,660 years.
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This comet was discovered on January 9, 2023, which is why its name begins with ‘A’, since this letter represents the first half of January in the International Astronomical Union (IAU) comet naming system, and the number 3 is because it was the third space object of this type found in that period.
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When and how will we be able to see the passage of this comet?
Comet A3 Tsuchinshan–ATLAS A3 will visit planet Earth next September.
“Its closest approach to the Sun will be on September 27; on October 12 it will approach very closely to Earth and could be observed with the naked eye or with binoculars.“, reads the UNAM report.
In addition, the report also indicates that at the end of November of this year “It will gradually lose its brightness because it will begin to move away from Earth.“.
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To observe the passage of the comet, it is estimated that although it can be seen throughout the world, its visibility will be greater in the southern hemisphere, in countries such as Argentina, Chile, Bolivia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Brazil, Congo and Indonesia.
Regarding visibility, it is important to mention that it will improve from dawn to dusk, being Twilight is the ideal time to observe the comet“The comet’s swinging from one time to another is due to the relative position of the Earth,” Minakata emphasized.
The report also highlights that if the celestial body’s brightness remains after passing the Sun and weather conditions permit, it can be seen without the need for binoculars or a telescope.
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According to the specialized portal ‘EarthSky’, The comet is currently located between the orbits of Jupiter and Mars. at a speed of approximately 180,610 miles per hour (290,664 km/h), or 80.74 km per second, relative to the Earth.
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